Immune Responses of Healthy Pregnant Women following an Elective Cesarean Section: Effects of Anesthetic Procedures.

A weakened immune system and more inflammatory cytokines being released are possible effects of the surgical stress that a cesarean section induces. This kind of reaction, in addition to the altered reaction to catecholamines, has the potential to significantly affect the immune system of the mother and the patients' general postoperative course. This prospective study compared the plasma levels of catecholamines and cytokines in healthy pregnant patients having cesarean sections under spinal anesthesia versus general anesthesia.

Longitudinal 8-Epi-Prostaglandin F2-Alpha and Angiogenic Profile Mediator Evaluation during Pregnancy in Women with Suspected or Confirmed Pre-eclampsia.

: In this exploratory study, we aimed to evaluate the dynamics of angiogenic [soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble Endoglin (sEng), and sFlt-1/PlGF, PlGF/sFlt-1, and sEng/PlGF ratios] and oxidative stress [8-epi-prostaglandin F2 alpha (8-epi-PGF2α) and 8-epi-PGF2α/PlGF ratio] mediator levels in women with suspected or confirmed pre-eclampsia (PE) at least two times during pregnancy. We also wanted to identify the possible correlations between 8-epi-PGF2α and angiogenic mediator levels at the time of inclusion of pregnant women. : We included 40 pregnant women with suspected or confirmed PE, with a mean age of 29 years (range between 18 and 41 years) and gestational age between 18 and 28 weeks at inclusion in this study.

Association between Serum 8-Iso-Prostaglandin F2α as an Oxidative Stress Marker and Immunological Markers in a Cohort of Preeclampsia Patients.

Background: We aimed to analyze the presence and clinical use of serum 8-iso-prostaglandin F2-alpha (8-iso-PGF2α) as an oxidative stress marker and some inflammatory status biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and pentraxin-3 (PTX3)) for patients with preeclampsia (PE).

Methods: Sixty pregnant women, including thirty diagnosed with PE and thirty who were healthy (NP), were included in this study. For the assessment of serum levels of biomarkers, we used the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique.

Intraplacental Villous Artery Doppler can Improve the Ability to Predict Placenta-Mediated Disease.

Objective: Evaluation of Intraplacental Villous Artery Doppler (IPVA) as a predictive factor compared to umbilical artery (UA) Doppler in placenta-mediated disease (PMD).

Methods: This prospective study included a group of 106 pregnant women, of which 76 patients constituted the PMD group: preeclampsia (PE) and small for gestational age (SGA), and 30 pregnant women constituted the control group. IPVA and UA Doppler evaluation was performed in 2 pregnancy periods: 20.

The Role of Uterine Artery Doppler in the Second and Third Trimesters for Prediction of Preeclampsia and Fetal Growth Restriction Developed as a Consequence of Placental-Mediated Diseases.

Unlabelled: Placenta-mediated pregnancy disorders represent a disease that includes preeclampsia (PE) and the birth of small for gestational age (SGA) children, these conditions increase the risk of mortality and morbidity both maternal and fetal/neonatal, in the short and long-term.

Methods: The prospective study included 106 patients in whom ultrasound Doppler scans of uterine artery (UtA) were performed in the 2nd trimester between 20.0-23.